Fastener



26, 1939. I D BR N N 2,184,276

FASTENER Original F iled Oct. 29, 1952 "W nn patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT omcs FASTENER Daniel A. Brennan, Chicago, Ill.

40 Claims.

I 15 slots adapted to receive the prongs, in some instances are provided with lips to receive the prongs in bent down position. In such fasteners, it is diflicult to insert the prongs under the lips, due to the excessive friction created be- I 20 tween the bent down prongs and compressor slots, while operating them, and because the edges of the lips are parallel with and spaced from the bent down portion of the prongs, necessitating a lateral distortion of said prongs. 25- In such instances, the engaging edges of the prongs ends are disposed inaccessible under the lips and difficulty is encountered in removing said prongs from said lips for this reason, as well as for other apparent reasons, and fre- 30 quently it is necessary to use a tool to disengage or separate them.

Also, in such fasteners, the slots are approximately at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the compressor, and as a consequence, it is 35 difiicult to get the bent down portion of the prongs under the lips and also difficult to remove the compressor from the prongs, upon their being straightened, due to their having been previously distorted to engage the lips. It

40 is necessary, in the prior art type of this fastener, to make the base and compressor very stiff and the prongs very yieldable to effect proper binding of the papers, and it is impractical to do this because the prongs and base I 5 preferably are integral. Consequently, the

prongs tend to break or kink at the bends, because it is necessary and desirable to clamp the bent down portion of the prongs very tightly against the compressor at the slots to effect a tight binding together of the papers, which makes the forcing of the bent down portions of the prongs under lips difficult and their release a task.

Also the present invention has, as one of its aims, the provision of a new and improved paper fastener of this type that is not subject to the foregoing objections and disadvantages. I

An object of the invention is to provide an improved fastener that is more efiicient and simpler, and that can be manipulated faster, 5 than prior structures.

Another object is to provide a compressor with novel lips which fit the natural bend of the prongs, in bent down position, facilitate their insertion. under said lips, and their removal 'ierefrom, with a minimum of prong kinking.

Another object is to provide pivots adjacent the slots adapted to co-operate with the novel lips to reduce the tendency of the prongs to kink and to assist in the removal and insertion 15. I of the bent over portion on said prongs into and out of engagement with said lips.

Another object is to provide means in the compressor disposed angularly thereto, arranged to co-operate with the novel lips to effeet easy and efiicient resilient engagement therewith, and easy, efficient removal and replacal of the compressor.

Another object is to provide a base formed with prongs positioned to take automatically' a position overlying the lips, upon being pressed down against the compressor, and arranged, upon being moved laterally and released, to spring under the lips, without distorting said prongs.

Another object is to provide prongs with means on the ends to stiffen said ends, limit the distance the prongs can spring under the lips, and to facilitate gripping thereof to effect a release of said prongs from the lips by a lateral and upward movement.

Another object is to provide means in the compressor to prevent the prongs from springing back under the lips during the releasing operation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the fastener.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the fastener, showing one of the prongs in position over one of the lips and the other in position to snap into engagement under the other lip.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view of the base.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of fastoner, showing one prong partially broken away.

Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view of another modified form of fastener.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the fastener constituting the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a base i having on its ends spaced prongs 22, adapted to pass through similarly spaced perforations in the file papers (not shown). Preferably the prongs 2 are substantially less in width than the body of said base and are struck up at substantially right angles thereto. The opposite ends of the base preferably are offset with respect to each other, so that the prongs assume compound angles with respect to the base; that is, the side of the ends illustrated at 3 (Fig. 5) is off-set from the side of the ends illustrated at i, so that the prongs will assume a position, when bent down, out of parallel with the longitudinal edges of the base, for a purpose that will hereinafter appear. Each prong preferably is formed with a releaser 5, preferably in the form of a projection, adjacent its free end, for a purpose that will be described hereinafter.

The base 5 preferably is provided with longitudinal spaced ribs 5 to stiffen it, said ribs preferably stopping short of the ends of the base to increase the flexibility of the base at the ends to improve the binding qualities of the fastener and assist in lessening breaking of the prongs. The base I normally is positioned to lie flat against the bottom of the file papers, and a compressor '1, formed with spaced slots 8, preferably angularly disposed on opposite ends thereof for receiving prongs 2, is adapted to be placed against the top of the file papers.

Tangs 6 and l preferably are struck up in the base i and the compressor 1, respectively, for attaching the base and compressor to a folder or bracking sheet, in which instance the tangs are passed through the backing sheets and crimped over to secure the respective parts.

Spaced ribs 9 are provided along opposite longitudinal edges of the compressor 1, and lips I6, formed in said compressor between the slots, preferably are struck up adjacent the longitudinal ribs and extend inwardly therefrom. The lips iii, preferably taper downwardly gradually inwardly from the ends adjacent slots-8, as at H, to facilitate the engagement of the prongs with the lips and are formed to fit the natural bend of said prongs when the latter are bent down against the compressor. Small pivots or teats 52 are formed in the compressor 1, adjacent the slots 8, to provide pivot bearings for the prongs, to lessen kinking or breaking of the prongs at the line of bend, to co-operate with the tapered lips and to facilitate easy engagement of the prongs under said lips.

Portions 13 (Fig. 3) of the compressor between the spaced ribs 9 preferably are elevated and slant upwardly away from the adjacent lip to facilitate removal of the prongs from beneath said lips and prevent inadvertent snapping back of the prongs under the lips during the disengagement therefrom due to distortment thereof. Finger releasers or releasing projections .or shoulders 5, preferably are provided, adjacent the ends of the prongs 2, to move laterally and elevate said prongs. After said prongs are moved laterally until the prong edges H5 reach the edges l5 of the lips [9 (Fig. 3) a lifting engagement may be effected to further prevent the tendency of the prongs to snap back under the lips, due to the resilience of the material and the pivoting qualities of the projections 52. The releasers 5 preferably are back out, as at H, or they may be cut through on edge It a sufilcient distance to engage the finger nail without catching or breaking it.

The operation of the fastener described is substantially as follows: the prongs 2 are inserted through apertures in the papers (not shown) to position the base fiat against one side of the papers or backing sheet. The prongs are then inserted through the slots 8 angularly disposed in the compressor ends, and are then bent downwardly towards and against the compressor, and assume a'pcsition over the lips (Fig. l) resulting from the relative position of the compressor slots and the angular disposition of the prongs, relative to the base. The prongs are then gently urged ofi from the compressor lips and pressed slightly downwardly, whereupon the resilience of the metal of which they are made urges them under the lips and the natural bend of the prongs is maintained, due to the upward taper in the lips, and kinking or breaking of the prongs is prevented by the pivots l2 which hold the prongs upwardly away from the slots, thus at the same time, permitting drawing of the base tightly against the papers. The position of the ribs 6 permit the base to spring sufficiently to improve the binding of the fastener and thereby aid in reducing kinking or breaking of the prongs.

To release the fastener, the finger nails are inserted against the releasers 5 and moved outwardly. The elevations in the compressor, or sloping surfaces !3, raise the prongs above the lips as the prongs are drawn from beneath the lips Ill. Upon release of the fingers, the prongs will not slide back beneath the lips, but over them,

because the prong edges M are then above the lip openings.

The form of fastener illustrated in Fig. 6 is substantially like the preferred form, except that it has retaining lips Hi arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the slots 8, so that the prongs may be bent either inwardly or outwardly, and is provided with pivot projections IZ on both sides of the slots.

The modified form of fastener shown in transverse section in Fig. '7 is the same as the preferred form except that each prong 2 has an upwardly directed detent projection or elevation it near one edge adjacent its free end for engagement with the recessed bottom face 59 of the associated lip l0 to detachably secure the elements together.

It is evident that many structural changes can be made in the details of the various embodiments of the invention herein disclosed and it should therefore beunderstood that the terms employed herein are used in a descriptive rather than in a limited sense, except for such limitations as may be required by the state of the art.

I claim:

1. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of, a base having prongs extending upwardly from opposite ends thereof, a compressor having slots adjacent the ends thereof through which'said prongs are passed and are then bent over on the upper side of said compressor, lips on said compressor for receiving said bent over end portions of said prongs, means on said lips and said prongs co-operating to retain said prongs in place, and tangs projecting from said base and adapted to be secured to the ter are bent over against the compressor, and

tangs projecting from said compressor adapted 'to be secured to the cover portion of a file.

3. In a paper fastener, the combination of a base having prongs extending upwardly therefrom, a compressor having slots therein throughwhich said prongs are passed, lips on said compressor adapted to receive said prongs when the latter are bent down in an inward direction from said slots, and means on said lips to retain said prongs under said lips.

4. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a base having prongs extending from opposite ends thereof, said. prongs extending in parallel planes'at right angles to the length of said base, a compressor having slots adjacent the ends through which said prongs are passed and then bent over upon the upper side of said compressor, lips carried by said compressor under which the side margins of the bent over portions of said prongs are adapted to engage, said slots being inclined relative to the length of said compressor in parallel planes, and said lips being disposed adjacent the opposite edges of said compressor, whereby said compressor can be reversed end for end and still enable said prongs to be bent over to the angle of said slots and to be engaged under said lips.

5. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a base having prongs extending upwardly from opposite end portions thereof, a compressor having slots therein through which said prongs are passed and then bent over on the upper side of said compressor, lips on said compressor having pockets formed in the undersides thereof, and detent projections on said prongs adapted to pass under said lips and to engage in said pockets.

' 6. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a base having prongs ex tending upwardly from opposite end portions thereof, a compressor over the top of which said der said lips, and detent projections on said prongs extending upwardly therefrom adapted to engage under said lips for holding said prongs against accidental release from said lips.

7. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of, a base having prongs extending upwardly from opposite end portions thereof,a compressor over the top of which said prongs are adapted to be bent, lips on said compressor for receiving the bent over ends of said prongs, and detent projections on said prongs extending upwardly therefrom adapted to engage under said lips for holding said prongs against accidental release from said lips.

8. In a paper fastener of the class described,

the combination of, a base, having at least one prong extending upwardly from one end thereof, a compressor over the top of which said prong is adapted to be bent, a lip on said compressor for receiving the bent over end of said prong, and a detent projection on said prong extending upwardly therefrom adapted to engage under said lip for holding said prong against accidental release from said lip.

9. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a base having prongs extending upwardly from opposite end portions thereof, a compressor adapted to be disposed on the upper side of the file and having slots therein through which said prongs are passed after being extended upwardly through the file, lips on said compressor under which the bent over ends of said prongs are adapted to engage, upwardly extending detent projections on said prongs spaced from the longitudinal axis adapted to engage under said lips, and upwardly extending releasing projections on said prongs to enable pressure to be exerted against the end portions prongs, and means on said prongs co-operating with means on said lips, to retain said prongs in place.

11. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination ofa base having prongs extending upwardly from opposite end portions thereof,

a compressor having slots therein through which said-prongs are passed and are then bent over on the-top of said'compressor, lips on said compressor for receiving the bent over ends of said prongs, said slots being inclined at an angle to said lips for creating a sidewise spring bias in the bent over ends of said prongs tending to force the latter outwardly under said lips, detent projections on said prongs extending upwardly therefrom and adapted to engage under said lips for holding said prongs against accidental release from said lips, and releasing projections on the end portions of said prongs to enable said prongs to be sprung sidewise out from under said lips.

' 12. In a paper fastener, in combination, a base provided with spaced prongs and a compressor having similarly spaced openings for said prongs, teats adjacent said openings, and lips on said compressor spaced from said teats.

13. In a paper fastener, in combination, a base provided with spaced prongs and a compressor having similarly spaced openings for said prongs, a teat adjacent one of said openings, and a lip on said compressor spaced from said teat.

14. In a paper fastener, the combination with a base having prongs extending upwardly therefrom, a compressor having slots therein through which said prongs are adapted to extend and be bent over said compressor, and teats on said compressor adjacent said slots to prevent kinking of said prongs.

15. In a paper fastener, the combination with a base having prongs extending upwardly therefrom, a compressor cooperating therewith and held in position by bending the prongs thereover, and teats on said compressor to prevent kinking of said prongs.

16. In a paper fastener, the combination with a base having prongs, a compressor having spaced slots to receive said prongs, lips on said compressor to engage over said prongs when the latter are bent over the compressor, and teats on the longitudinal axis of said compressor adjacent said slots to prevent kinking of the prongs.

17. In a paper fastener, the combination with a base having prongs extending upwardly therefrom, a compressor having slots therein through which said prongs are adapted to extend and be bent over said compressor, lips on said compressor adapted to receive the bent over ends of said prongs, and teats on said compressor to prevent kinking of the prongs.

18. In a paper fastener, the combination with a base having prongs extending upwardly therefrom, a compressor co-operating therewith and held in position by bending the prongs thereover, lips on the compressor adapted to receive the bent over ends of said prongs, and teats adjacent the ends of said compressor to prevent kinking of said prongs.

19. In a paper fastener, in combination, a base provided with spaced prongs and a compressor having similarly spaced openings for said prongs to pass through, teats adjacent said openings, and lips on said compressor to engage over said prongs when said prongs are bent over said compressor, said lips being inclined to facilitate engagement of said prongs.

20. In a paper fastener, the combination with a base having prongs, a compressor having slots therein through which said prongs are adapted to extend and be bent over the compressor, said slots being inclined relative to the length of the compressor to force the bent over ends of said prongs out of parallel with the length of the compressor, and teats on said compressor adjacent said slots to prevent kinking of said prongs.

21. In a paper fastener, in combination, a base provided with spaced prongs, releasers projecting from said prongs and a compressor having similarly spaced openings for said prongs to pass through, a lip on said compressor, and means on said compressor to elevate one of said prongs as it disengages from said lip.

22. In a paper fastener, in combination, a base provided with prongs and. a compressor over the top of which said prongs are adapted to be bent, a lip on said compressor, and means on said compressor to elevate one of said prongs as it disengages from said lip.

23. A fastener comprising a base having bendable prongs, a compressor co-operating therewith and held in position thereby, lips on said compressor each adapted to receive one of said prongs therebeneath, and means on said compressor to elevate said prongs as they disengage from said lips.

24. In a paper fastener, in combination, a base provided with spaced prongs and a compressor co-operating therewith and held in place thereby, teats adjacent the ends of said compressor, lips on said compressor to engage over said prongs when said prongs are bent over said compressor, and means on said compressor to elevate said prongs as they disengage from said lips.

25. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a base having prongs extending upwardly from opposite end portions thereof, a compressor adapted tobe disposed on top of a file and to, co-operate with said prongs when projected upwardly through the file, said compressor having slots therein through which said prongs are passed, and lips formed on said compressor for receiving the bent over ends of said prongs, the slots in said compressor being incline'd at an angle to the length of said compressor for creating a spring bias in the 'bent over ends of the prongs tending to force them outwardly under said lips.

' 26. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a. base having prongs extending'upwardly from opposite end portions thereof, said prongs extending upwardly in parallel planes at right angles to the length of said, base, a compressor having slots in its end portions through which said prongs are passed and then bent over upon the upper side of said compressor, lips carried by said compressor and under which the side margins of the bent over prongs are adapted to engage, said slotsbeing inclined relative to the length of said compressor but in planes parallel to each other, and said lips being disposed adjacent to opposite edges of said compressor, whereby said compressor can be reversed end for end while still enabling said prongs to be bent over at the angle of said slots and to be engaged under said lips.

27. In a paper fastener, the combination of a base having a prong on each end adapted to be bent upwardly along a fold substantially at right angles to the longitudinal center of the base, a compressor having spaced slots one adjacent each end, and lips on said compressor, said slots beingv inclined at an angle to said lips for creating a" sidewise spring bias in the bent over ends of the prongs when said prongs are inserted through the slots and bent over against the compressor, whereby said prongs are forced under said lips.

28. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a base having prongs extending upwardly from opposite end portions thereof, a compressor having slots therein through which said prongs are passed and are bent over said compressor, and lips on said compressor for receiving the bent over ends of said prongs, said slots being parallel to each other and inclined at an angle to said lips for creating a sidewise spring bias in the bent over ends of i said prongs tending to force the latter under said lips.

- 29. In a paper fastener, the combination of, a base having prongs thereon, said prongs extending substantially at right angles to the length of the base, a compressor over the top of which said prongs are adapted to be bent, and lips on said compressor for receiving the bent over ends of said prongs, the compressor having means for creating a spring bias in the bent over ends of the prongs tending to force them under said lips. 30. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a base having prongs extending upwardly in parallel planes at right angles to said base, a compressor having slots through which said prongs are passed and then bent over said compressor, said slots being inclined relative to the length of said compressor in planes parallel to each other, and means on said compressor adapted to engage the bent over prongs 31. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a base having prongs extending upwardly from opposite end portions thereof, a compressor having slots therein through which said prongs are passed and then bent over on theupper side of said compressor, said slots.

allel to each other, and inwardly and outwardly disposed pairs of lips on said compressor for receiving said prongs when the latter are bent either inwardly or outwardly with respect to said slots.

32. In a paper fastener, the combination of a base having prongs extending therefrom, a compressor having slots therein through which said prongs are passed, and lips on said compressor outwardly of said slots adapted to receive said prongs when the latter are bent down in an out- Ward direction from said slots, said lips being formed to facilitate engagement of said prongs therebeneath.

33. In a paper fastener, the combination of a base having prongs extending therefrom, a com pressor having slots therein through which said prongs are passed, lips on said compressor outwardly of said slots adapted to receive said prongs when the latter are bent down in an outward direction from said slots, and means on said compressor adapted to urge said bent overprongs into frictional engagement with said lips.

34. In a paper fastener, in combination, a base provided with spaced prongs extending therefrom in parallel planes having releasers projecting therefrom, a compressor having similarly spaced openingsfor said prongs to pass'through, and lips tapering upwardly on said compressor to engage said prongs.

35. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of a base having prongs extending upwardly from opposite end portions thereof, said prongs extending upwardly in parallel planes at right angles to the length of said base, a compressor having slots in its end portions through which said prongs are passed and are then bent over upon the upper side of said compressor, said slots being inclined relative to the length of said compressor in planes parallel to each other, lips carried by said compressor and under which the side margins of the bent over prongs are adapted to engage, and portions integral with said prongs and projected therefrom forming releasing shoulders to enable said prongs to be engaged for moving them sidewise out from under said lips.

36. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of, a base having at least one prong extending upwardly therefrom, a compressor over the top of which said prong is adapted to be bent, a lip on said compressor for receiving the bent over end of said prong, and means on said prong extending upwardly therefrom adapted to engage under said lip for holding said prong against accidental release from said lip.

37 In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of, a base having a prong extending therefrom, a compressor over the top of which said prong is adapted to be bent, a lip on said compressor for receiving the bent over end of said prong, and a projection on said prong extending upwardly therefrom adapted to engage under said lip for holding said prong against accidental release from said lip.

38. In a paper fastener of the class described, the combination of, a base having a prong extending therefrom, a compressor over the top of which said prong is adapted to be bent, a lip on said compressor for receiving the bent over end of said prong, a recess formed in the under side of said lip, and a projection on said prong extending upwardly therefrom adapted to engage in said recess for holding said prong against accidental release from said lip.

39. In a paper fastener, in combination, a base provided with prongs and a compressor over the bending it thereover into engagement beneath said lip, and means on said compressor to elevate if" said one prong as it disengages from said lip.

40. In a paper fastener, the comb-ination'with a base having prongs extending upwardly therefrom, a compressor having slots therein through which said prongs'are adapted to extend and be 

